Poetry, memoir,blogs and photographs from my world on the west coast of Canada.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Song of the River

[Stamp Falls, the narrows]

For Open Link Monday at Real Toads, I decided to re-post this oldie, one of the first I posted on my blog. Stamp Falls is my favorite spot in Port, because it is the wildest. I have walked there so many times through the years. Beyond the narrows, the river opens in full flood with a steep incline that salmon have to leap, against the power of the down-river-traveling water, during the autumnal spawning migration. The huge fish collect in this peaceful channel to rest and wait their turn to attempt the rocky passage. Eagles and bears also gather, to intercept some of the fish. You can look down and imagine one could almost walk across the backs of the fish, they are so plentiful. Our dogs love to swim in this river in warm weather, back a ways, where the river opens in the other direction.

Every time I read your poems about The Island, I think of my dad's books about the rivers of BC. Gorgeous description of the Stamp River and the falls, Sherry. I particularly love the rhythm of this line, and the picture it paints:"Sun-dappled baby wave-tops prancing"